7teen: Khaki Lineup
by Dakari-King Mykan
Summary: S2EP14: After losing another job, Jonesy discovers a new way to make money by selling his place to people in line-ups for cuts, even ones he doesn't have to stand in. Meanwhile, The Clones challenege to a dare to prove if she can runt he Khaki Barn better... ALL BY HERSLEF
1. Intro: Booming Breakfast

**INTRO**

One early morning at the mall, all of us were invited to the new Breakfast Club where Jonesy had just landed a new gig as one of the kitchen boys. This meant that none of us had eaten breakfast yet, or even had our morning coffees.

Wyatt was already twitching. "I can't take it anymore." He cried "I gotta' have my morning java."

"Speak for yourself." Jen said "My mom was cooking this morning and her cheesy-omelets are just to die for." Her talking of food really made our stomachs growl. "Easy there, Dude… chow'sa comin'." Jude said patting his stomach.

"Hey, Jonesy…!" Nikki called "Hurry it up."

Her husband poked his head through the door to the kitchen "All right, quit nagging!"

Of course, Jonesy wasn't much of a cook, but his main job was lighting the gas-cookers, and making sure the ovens were cooking at consistent temperatures. However, something then caught his eye. One of the gas grills wasn't burning.

The gas was on and going like crazy, but then he realized "Ah! The guys must've forgotten to light it. A-huh! Well, someone's gotta do it."

…

Outside our stomachs were still growling. "Uhn…! If I don't get something to eat soon I'll waste away." Caitlin said.

"Me too…" I said "I can see it now. Drop the food down my gut and then BOOM!"

That's when the kitchen blew up and the force knocked over many of the tables, the people fell out of their seats and so did we. The whole place was a mess, and through all the black smoke, we all crawled upright.

"Suddenly, I think I've lost my appetite." I said.

It didn't take much for us to figure out who we had to thank for this. Jonesy nervously poked his head though the door. His face all smoky with soot, and his eyebrows were missing. He held up a plate of extremely burn food. "Uh… breakfast anyone?" and all he got was a tomato thrown at him.

**_"Intro theme"_**

**_Jonesy… Caitlin… Wyatt… Jen… Jude… Nikki… Mykan_**

**_Jonesy… Caitlin… Wyatt… Jen… Jude… Nikki… Mykan_**

_Now that we're through with school_

_We get to make all the rules,  
__Spend more time with all my friends.  
__Always hanging together  
__In a place where we grew up_

_I'm 7teen…  
__I have found my own way  
__I love my job and I live at the mall today  
__And I am on my own now and forever._

_I'm… 7teen  
__Life was sweet,  
__Though we grew up way to fast  
__Still the memories will last._

**_Jonesy… Caitlin… Wyatt… Jen… Jude… Nikki… Mykan_**

**_Jonesy… Caitlin… Wyatt… Jen… Jude… Nikki… Mykan_**

**_1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6…_**

_I'm 7teen… 7TEEN_

_Still the memories will last._

**_Jonesy… Caitlin… Wyatt… Jen… Jude… Nikki… Mykan_**

**_"7TEEN!"_**


	2. The Bet

**CHAPTER ONE**

We all gathered at The Lemon, all eating cheap breakfast sandwiches with coffee, and Caitlin had just finished applying dark makeup to Jonesy's eyebrow area until the hairs grew back. He looked pretty weird, but we all wanted to know, "All right… one more time, Jonesy." Wyatt said "What did you do?"

Jonesy sighed "I noticed one of the grills weren't lit, so I reached for the lighter…"

"Didn't you smell the gas?" I asked.

"Obviously I didn't!" Jonesy said "Who could smell gas in a kitchen with mixed odors of so many foods?"

We all decided not to answer.

Jonesy already had enough to deal with. Not only had he lost his job, but he was being forced to pay for all the damages he'd done to that restaurant which was now closed for renovations. He calculated that he'd end up spending every last cent in his bank account and still not pay it any more than halfway. "Ah, man!" he groaned "I worked really hard to save all that up. I was going to buy Nikki out to dinner."

"Aw…!" most of us went.

Nikki felt flattered, but told him "I probably won't make it anyway. It's the Annual Khaki Lineup sale."

"EEE…!" Caitlin cried "You mean the time of the year when all the new lineups of the year are put fresh on the racks?"

"Unfortunately." Nikki groaned "And now if you'll excuse me… I have to go drown myself to death at work." and she left.

"Poor, Nikki…" Jen said "This is the time of year she really hates work the most."

"Come on… it can't be all that bad." Jude said "Work is only as bad or as good as you make it out to be."

"Spoken by the true hard worker." Wyatt said sarcastically.

…

After a while, Jude and Jonesy were on their way to the bank machines. Jude wanted to cash in his pay form both Stick-It and the Ice Rink. "Heh, heh…! Dude!" Jude said as he ogled his money like they were hot babes.

"Man, I envy you." Jonesy said "I wish I could chow like that. Then I wouldn't have to drain my account dry."

"Ya could just get another job and pay it off that way." Jude suggested, but Jonesy pointed out the many flaws, such as where had he not worked already, plus the fact his eyebrows hadn't grown back, he wasn't exactly ready for any interviews. "Good points." Jude said.

Soon they saw what had to be a large lineup leading to the machines. All but one was busted, so it was taking time. Especially since some of the customers were senile senior citizens, who as usual, had no idea how to work the "Con-founded hunk-a metal!"

"Uhn!" groaned Jonesy "This could take a while."

…

"Welcome to the Khaki Barn."

Nikki was already pushing herself to the limits carrying many boxes from one place to another and setting them down. Stacking the shelves and the racks. Fixing the price tags. This was pretty much the most work she had ever done in… well… ever, while all The Clones were merely making the sales, complimenting the customers for their fashion senses, and hauling in the cash for counting.

Nikki couldn't hold it in much longer, and eventually kicked over a stack of boxes and let out a furious scream "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

The whole store went silent, and then the shoppers began to back away slowly until none were left. "What is your problem?" snapped Krissy.

"I'll tell you what the problem is!" snapped Nikki "Busting myself to the bone, while you blondes just bring in the cash and go "EEE" all the time."

"Duh… because it's, like, your place in line." said Kristen.

Nikki blinked once. "Excuse me? My what?"

"Your place in line…" Kirsten said.

Krissy then held up the posted of all the workers positions in the store. The top box was the owner of the store, but the picture was rather faded and hard to make out, but all three of The Clones were sharing on the same spot below the owner, and of course there was a whole bunch of boxes with X's on them showing former employees who quit or were fired, and what's more, even the Khaki Barn mascots were on it, and Nikki… she was dead at the bottom.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" she snapped "Why am I at the bottom?"

"Uh… that fact that you're lazy." said Krissy.

"And mean…." said Kristen.

"And badly dressed…" said Kirsten.

_"AND WE DON'T LIKE YOU!"_ they all said at once.

For once, Nikki wasn't sure how to argue, but she wasn't about to be pushed around like this. "Ya know… I bet I could run this place better even without you three pests around."

The Clones just laughed at her "How many times have you said that before?" asked Kirsten, "And how many times has it always flip flopped?" added Kristen.

Krissy then came up with the idea, "Let her do it."

_"What?"_ snapped the others and Nikki.

"Why not?" replied Krissy.

Nikki was practically ready to jump at the idea, but she decided to make it more interesting. "Let's make a bet out of it." she said "If I succeed and prove I can handle store… you three quit and move your clone butts outta here."

The Clones gasped in shock at first at such a thought, but they agreed on the condition that if Nikki lost the bet, she'd lose her job at the Khaki Barn, and this time… absolutely no re-applying for anything! She had re-applied enough times, even when she moved back from Nunavut.

"Fine!" snapped Nikki

_"FINE!"_ snapped The Clones, and so they took the rest of the day off, with and decided to head for the spa, and left Nikki to manage on her own.

Nikki gazed around the store and cracked her knuckles…

**_(Aaaoo-aaahh)_**

"It is on!"

…

Meanwhile, the line at the bank machine has hardly moving to well. No sooner had one senior finally managed to work the darn thing, then there was another having the same problem. "Ugh! At this rate, we'll both be old by the time we get up there." Jonesy complained.

"Dude… that'd be creepy." Jude said and he imagined it…

…

_There they were, fifty years later and still waiting in the same old line. Both of them old, wrinkled, grey, and Jude had a long beard. "How long ago was it?" Jonesy asked._

_"Meh… I don't rightly know that brude… I mean crude… I mean Jude."_

_"Man… you're senile. You're Jude. I'm eh… er… Eh I forget. What's a name worth anyway?"_

_The two of them laughed until they started coughing and wheezing._

…

They shook themselves awake realizing that was _"Creepy!"_

Finally, someone came along and realized he'd have to stand all the way in the back of the line and he was running late already. He noticed Jonesy was closer to the front of the line and asked if he'd let him have cuts. "What…? No way, Man…" Jonesy said "I've been waiting here long enough."

"I'll spot you Twenty." The guy then offered.

Jonesy could hardly believe this "You wanna buy my place in line?" he asked "Sold!" and he took the money and gave up his place. "Dude, what are you doin'?" asked Jude.

Jonesy didn't answer, because as he gazed at the money and realized how he got it. "Yes! This gives me a great idea. I won't have to empty my account after all!" and then he ran off, and as much as Jude was desperate to cash in his money, he just couldn't resist. "Yo' wait for me." He called as he left the line and followed Jonesy.


	3. It is all Nikki

**CHAPTER TWO**

Before long, Jonesy and Jude were standing in another long lineup, for the Huntington's new clothing lineup. "Dude…?" Why are we standing in this line now?" Jude asked.

"Just trust me on this." Jonesy said, and he waited until he heard someone in back of the line say she couldn't stand much more of the waiting. "Jackpot…!" Jonesy said cheekily and he offered to sell his place in line to the girl for five bucks. Though the girl thought that was ridiculous, she took it. "Score…!" Jonesy said to himself.

Jude began to get the idea. Jonesy would just stand in long lines and sell his place to those who needed cuts. "I'm so genius I amaze myself."

Jude thought it over for a minute and realized that by doing this Jonesy would be able to make plenty of cash and pay off his debt without much worry. "Sweet…!" he said and slapped Jonesy a high-five. "No harm, no foul."

…

Meanwhile, Caitlin, Jen, Wyatt, and I thought Nikki would need some moral support in her tough job, so we headed to the Khaki Barn, but…

**_(Eddo… Ba-ba-badeo da)_**

"Am I seeing clearly?" asked Jen.

"What happened here?" Wyatt wondered aloud.

The store was packed with many customers. Some were even waiting outside in lineups.

We somehow managed to make it past all the people and make it inside, and we saw why there were so many people. Nikki was actually managing all the work by herself- Unloading the boxes, stacking the shelves and racks, and ringing up the sales. "Uh, Nikki…?" I called to her.

"Just a minute, I'm busy." Nikki said, and that surprised is more. Nikki was usually never this busy, or as swift at handling her job. "Where are The Clones?" asked Caitlin.

"I sent them off, and hopefully they won't ever be back again." Nikki replied and she told us about the bet. "Nikki, that's insane." Jen said "You can't manage a whole store by yourself."

"Why not…? Mykan manages a whole store on his own."

I tipped my shades "She's got a point." But I also pointed out the flaws that managing a comic book store wasn't like a clothing shop at all. "I don't have to keep restacking shelves every hour on the hour, or ring up so many sales at once, unless the new issues are in."

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Wyatt asked, but she didn't answer him as she had already gotten back to serious work. She was actually multitasking now- loading the piles up with one hand, and ringing up the sales with the other, and looking back and forth like checking blind spots while driving. It was enough to make you dizzy.

"Hey guys…" Caitlin said "How would this top make me look with this skirt? Guys…?" but then she noticed the way Nikki was behaving, and could even tell she was muttering under her breath, "Get rid of The Clones! Get rid of the Clones! Get rid of The Clones!"

"I think we're going to have to keep tabs on her." Jen suggested and the rest of us agreed.

So we all kept going back and forth, passing the Khaki Barn, only to find that Nikki was still working, and eventually it was starting to wear her down and make her tired, but every time we tried to talk to her, she just wouldn't listen, and what's more. The Clones came back from their spa trip and could see much to their dismay; Nikki had managed everything as she said she would. "I told you I could do it alone." Nikki gloated.

"Okay, you won." Krissy simply said "We'll leave."

_"What?"_ snapped Kirsten and Kristen, and Nikki's eyes lit up like the sun "Yeah, so sad, but… have a good one." she simply said.

Krissy just turned to leave casually as if nothing mattered, but the other two burst into tears as they followed Krissy away.

"I did it!" Nikki cried and she leapt up onto the counter dancing and singing "I DID IT! Oh yeah! I'm good! He-ey…!"

The guys and I all gazed back and forth at one another. "Nikki!" Caitlin called "Calm down!"

"Calm down?" Nikki said "Calm down? How can I? This is golden age. The Khaki barn is all mine- It is all Nikki! No more EEE… no more Clones… I can do what I want."

She just kept dancing and gloating about her greatness and completely ignored us. Jude came along. "What's happenin'?" he said in greeting "Finally got my pay cashed in and-" that's when he saw Nikki. "What's with, Nikki?"

"I think she's gotten a little carried away." I said.

"A little?" cried Wyatt.

"Even I don't get this excited when I buyout at super sales." Caitlin said.

We all decided we needed to have a meeting. "Where's Jonesy?" Jen asked. "Oh, right… you haven't heard yet." Jude said, and he led us to where he knew Jonesy was next…

He was standing in big lineup at Frilly N' Pink "He works here?" Wyatt asked in near disgust.

"But Jonesy hates pink." Jen said.

"Just watch." Jude said and then we all saw Jonesy sell his place in line to a chick that seemed desperate to get moving, and then he just left with that sinister grin on his face. "A perfect ten." he gloated. "If I keep this up I'll I probably have money to burn."

"Ahem!" growled Jen. That's when Jonesy turned to see Jen, Me, Caitlin and Wyatt giving him the look and tapping our feet. "Uh oh…!" Jonesy whimpered.


	4. Blow out!

**CHAPTER THREE**

We all sat at The Lemon to confront to Jonesy about his obvious scamming…

"Selling your place in line?" Jen asked.

"Yeah…" Jonesy said "I'm just being a normal selfless guy who's allowing people to have cuts for a small fee. Plus, I'm making tons of coin."

"Right on, Bro…" Jude said, but the rest of us didn't find it so selfless. "I don't think standing in a line you don't even need to be in, and then offer to someone just happen to need cuts, counts." Wyatt said.

"Not to mention it's totally not fair to the sales people- the way you're getting their hopes up for a sale." Caitlin added.

Jonesy remained unfazed by all our comments and sayings. "You're all just jealous because I've found a fast and cheap way to make money." Then he got up and left. "He really needs to sort out his priorities." I said. The others nodded in agreement and that's when we realized that we completely forgot to tell Jonesy about Nikki. We tried to call him, but after what happened, he wasn't much up to talking and he was busy trying to find more lines to wait in. "Ugh! Jonesy!" growled Jen.

"Never mind that now." Caitlin said "We should go check on Nikki."

…

Nikki was going faster and crazier than ever, soon realizing her error. She was there to manage the Khaki Barn all by herself with the Khaki Lineup sale still going on, and she hadn't had time to make arrangements. She was running the store by herself but she was still just a simple employee. Not the boss!

"Excuse me, Miss!"

"Hey lady…!"

"Am I ever going to get some service here?"

The customers were really starting to get on Nikki's nerves but she was too busy and frantic to even argue. She was more than determined not to have to ask for The Clones to come back and manage the store herself until things were sorted, but the more she went at it, the more agitated and paranoid she became. You could tell by the way her hair was all ruffled and she was starting to break out in a stress rash.

The inside of the store was really getting crowded, and the lineup of customers was starting to get so long that some people were standing outside of the store and clear down the hall. We were all stranded out in the middle of it, and it was almost impossible to get through.

We didn't have to because even though we were all far down, we could see Nikki all the way in the store at the end, and she looked horrible. Her body was shining from all the sweat from overworking, and her hair was mangled and tangled. We knew she wouldn't answer her phone, and with all the noise she probably wouldn't hear it ring. She couldn't even hear or see us calling and waving at her.

"Okay… startin' to feel a little freaked out here." Jude said.

"She's going to hurt herself if she keeps this up." I said.

The only guy we knew who could put a stop to this was Jonesy, and suddenly Jen had an idea of how to get his attention. So she called him up again, and told him about the super lineups at the Khaki Barn "You'll make a fortune." Jen said, and she couldn't believe she just said it!

Jonesy practically dashed to the Khaki Barn and could see Jen wasn't kidding. Never had he seen such a long lineup, not even here. "What's going on here?" he asked.

"Just see for yourself." Wyatt said.

Jonesy looked on ahead and could see his wife in bad way. "Nikki!" he cried, and for the first time ever, he felt something inside of him spark as a bug rush of energy took him over. All at once, he began to charge and plow through that crowd. "One side…! Gang way…! Move it there…! Hey, nice dress…"

The rest of us could hardly believe him, but eventually Jonesy got stuck and couldn't go any further. The line was just too big and crowded. "Man!" growled Jonesy, and then suddenly he had an idea. "Sell me your place in line?" he asked and the people practically jumped at the idea, which meant Jonesy ended up paying all his earnings. But that didn't seem to matter to him…!

He finally made it inside the store and shouted "NIKKI…!"

Nikki turned her sweaty and rash covered face round to face him "J… Jo… Jonesy…?!"

Then finally, seeing how much work she still had to do- combined with all the screaming and demanding of the customers and the ringing of the cash register, and her aching body… SHE SCREAMED… and finally collapsed to floor and burst into tears.

The crowds began to quiet down, and Jonesy ushered them all to get out, and when they didn't at first. "MOVE IT!" he growled at them and the crowds vanished almost at once until all was quiet except for Nikki's soft sobbing.

Jonesy got down on the floor and scooped his exhausted wife into his arms. "Nikki… Nikki! It's okay… they're gone now."

Poor Nikki was absolutely hysterical. "Jonesy…!" she sobbed "I can't take it anymore… I… caaa… taaa-aa…!"

Jonesy held her close and comforted his wife gently "Shh…! It's okay. It's okay…! " he whispered as he gently rocked her in his arms.

The rest of us almost felt like crying at that heartbreaking scene.

What was more, The Clones had seen everything, and while they knew Nikki would fail, they didn't expect her to get so hurt and weak. The figured maybe for once they had gone a little too far, and knew just how to make things right.

…

A couple of days later, Nikki was all rested up and back to normal- Just what she needed after having such a nervous breakdown like that. "So The Clones didn't fire you?" asked Wyatt.

Nikki shook her head "But I do have to spend all the rest of this week pulling extra shifts." she said "I can't believe it. I must've been a total whacko! What was I thinking- that I could manage a store by myself? Mykan, how do you do it?"

I tipped my shades to her "Experience, Nikki. Just… plain… experience."

As for Jonesy, he decided that he wouldn't stand in long lineups anymore. "But what about your debt?" Jen asked.

"There is no debt." He stepbrother answered "I got a call yesterday from the owner of Breakfast Club. He said he was practically glad I blew up the grills. He was meaning to put in new stoves for a while, and his insurance coughed up the money for the damages. But I'm still fired."

"Sorry, Dude…" Jude said.

"And sorry you lost all your money too." Caitlin added.

"Nah, whatever…" Jonesy said "Besides… it was worth it to save Nikki… from herself."

Nikki felt flattered and nuzzled into arms, and he pecked her head, while all the rest of us could do was sigh heavenly at the romantic sight.

**_(Ending theme)_**

_I'm 7teen…  
__I have found my own way  
__I love my job and I live at the mall today.  
__And I am on my own now and forever._

_I'm 7teen… 7TEEN…!_

_Still, the memories will last._

**_Jonesy… Caitlin… Wyatt… Jen… Jude… Nikki… Mykan_**

**_"7TEEN"_**


End file.
